The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-04-28
Very Old.
from the Independent, Jan. s, 1851

from tue Independent, Jan. s, 1851
A press dispatch from Philadelphia,
giving as authority the lab"rs of repor-
ter on the Times Of that city, gives
what purp0rts to be "sOme very inter
esting Information about big life iLsu-
rance. and those who hold them"
mong these are mentioned Mr.. JnEn
B. Stetson. S720,000; F. B. Gowen, Sl25-
900; John Wanamaker, $3.50, 0C0; B. II.
Shoemaker and Wharton Barker, SlOC,~
600: Geo. II. Stuart, Si00.000; l.. e.
Cassidy, j. r. Dobbins, aud George
Hardino, 100000. Those are Philade-
phians- Among New Workers are men~
toned: II. B. Claf n, $l25.'C 60; Henry
Ward Beecher, 500 90, Cnas. A. Dana,
1920. 900; Chas. Pratt and Henry b. hyde,
sl65. OO); John Glib, $4,000, Alexander
Barrett and T. b. Roberts, 500, 0C;
Cyrus ". Field, $40, 900; +. w. Devoe.
$50. 600; Pierre Lor.lard, 1885, coo; lay
Gould, 100000; w. Ii. Vanderbilt,
$500, C0o.
Perhaps this list is in part imaginative;
yet many OF the names have been repeat
eddy brought into type III this way; aud,
as to some of the prominent men ma ed.
it is undoubtedly true that at least they
carry large insurance. The argument
from example is just as good as it is in
tended to be. 1t does not mean that the
man with 5000 year ought to have
1900 900 insurance because some million
aj hot ha
ought to take out larger policy than be
has reasonable expectation Of pay ing Tor
1t means that the men whose judgment
is best attesteu by the results it has
achieved for them, believe that the lie
insurance system is safe, do not believe
any Of the stale stories about misman-
a1ement Of the companies, &c, and do
not believe life insurance cost more than
it returns. Some years ago, WITHIN the
personal knowledge Oh the writer heI eof,
one insurance man mentioned to another
tue name OF Albert Weber. then Wel-
known piano maker, as man who was
not Insured, and " as therefore, posi-
bic candidate. W hereupon the other
replied: Albert " eber cant be insur-
ed" The meaning of course was that
Mr.. Weber could not be persuaded to
be; that is, lie aC0Gtd not be insured. lie
died lot very long fer. The son, 0
the tme name, proved not his equal
In business aOlility, and it is evident
that Mr. Webers estate would have baen
protit. d had be had less firmly -rooteu
al tn Iita lps,,rapco
This Is only very ordinary example
of The kind, hardly to be named b, the
side OF the many painful cases of wealth
exchanged for poverty, and luxury tuI
prlvatlOn, because Of al over cuntiueu.t
in the tiXlty OF individual pros penny
The wings Of riches the changefunes.>
of material conditions, the prudence II
having something put beyond contjn
gency, and the TACT that nothing is quite
safe from reverses which does not stand
upon 00crage prosperIty-these are the
plainest lessouS OF experience.
The mora! is old and homely. To be
come insured is not TO become ricn,
except i'll highly fguratiye sense.
For the present rich, it Is to secure
a fortune against all dangers; Tor
the mass of mankind, it is to put up
barrier against positive want. 1t is
saving process pra, ticable for all and,
practically-thati is, in the insurance
nse-completed as soon as it is begun.
No other process has ever been devised
which will do as much; and none can be,
In country where Nature is not so
Elnd and human wants SO few, that
existence may be lieness, there can be
nothing else to take it's place. 1t costs,
undoub tedly; that is the worst of it; but
all .aoqairemenG costs. 1t is only air
castles, and "expectations,' and prom
iseS, that are cheap.